


Beach Bummed

by WeekdayGirl1215 (orphan_account)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cuddles, Day At The Beach, Established Relationship, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Suspicions, gladnoct - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-28 14:09:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16243241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/WeekdayGirl1215
Summary: A day at the beach draws out all the negative emotions Noctis is harboring while in the newborn days of his relationship with his Shield.





	Beach Bummed

**Author's Note:**

> Please, enjoy some beachy humor and fluff!

It was a bright, sunny day, cooler than most days this summer with a fine breeze coming out of the mountains to the west. For most, Galdin Quay was the perfect place to go for a day of leisure and relaxation. People of all ages came from near and far to bury their toes in the sand and swim in the vast, far-reaching waters of the Cygillan Sea.

 The party of four just set out from the Crown City was no exception.

 At Prompto and surprisingly, Ignis’s request, the Regalia was now on a one-way ticket to paradise on the shores of Galdin. Despite Noctis’s excessive whining that all he’d be doing on the beach was sweating and tasting salt, Ignis fatefully held the wheel in both of his capable hands.

 Which meant the prince was stuck in an impasse; although Gladio seemed to have no qualms about their plans for the afternoon, he still would've been a support for Noctis if he’d only hinted at a simple ‘no’.

 Of course, when were Noctis’s preferences ever taken into serious consideration? His idea of fun was a full 4-hour afternoon of napping. But Prompto had argued in his usual Prompto way that napping was for old people and cats - eh, give or take a few cat years, Noctis  _ was  _ an old man.

 “But we didn’t even bring bathing suits,” Noctis whines, slumping further down into his seat as Ignis drives the car over the threshold into Galdin’s parking lot. The sun was beating down on his pale, virgin skin, making him sweat worse than he would have if he were in a sauna.

 Ignis had already ignored his request for the top to be put up, stating that the correct amount of exposure to the sun gave Noctis a dose of very healthy Vitamin D. The cheeky bastard… “Not to worry, Noct,” he nods at the backseat. “We each have a spare pair of boxer shorts at our disposal. They’ll fare just as well.”

 “Yeah!” Prompto chimes in as Ignis throws the car in reverse and backs in to park under a shaded canopy. “So we get a little sand in our pants - no big deal!”

 Noctis clucks his tongue in annoyance and gets a jab in the ribs by his shield, whose grin looks all too disturbing in this harsh sunlight. “What was that for?”

 “Cheer up, Noct,” Gladio lets out a hearty chuckle. “We’ve been workin’ real hard this week. What’s wrong with havin’ a little fun at the beach?”

 Prompto throws his hands up and points at the beachfront, jumping up and down on his knees in his seat. “Oh, man!!! Look at that down there!”

 When Gladio lifts himself off of his seat to get a better glance at the beach scene, Noctis can’t help but fall victim to curiosity and see what has caused his boyfriend’s eye to wander so far from their cozy backseat.

 Sure enough, there’s a whole swath of scantily-clad men and women running and lounging along the hot shore. Some have picked up on the wave action and decided to ride out among the blue spray of rainbows, while others plant themselves by their children and rummage through the sand, digging for hidden trinkets the sea has left behind.

 A flock of noisy seagulls soar above their heads where one of the banded birds decides to leave a blot of dung free-falling a mere two feet from Prompto’s head. The skyline was bursting with sunlight, with nary a cloud in sight as the day strolled along and beckoned even more tourists to celebrate the beauty of the ocean.

 Noctis swallowed thickly before he wanted to ask Gladio where he’d go first. He opened his mouth, but thought better of the situation when Prompto hopped out of the car without opening the door and Ignis donned large, rimless sunglasses as he popped the trunk.

 Before Ignis can make it around to the rear of the car, Prompto throws his vest into the front seat and is just as quick to toss his shirt to the same place. “Last one in the water is a-”

 “ _ Prompto _ ,” Ignis scolds lightly. Noctis can tell he’s not too upset due to the lack of monotony in his voice. “Don’t forget these.”

 The young blonde is much too eager to even care that he’s half naked in public, snatching the spare boxers from Ignis’s grasp. “Thanks, Iggy! I’m gonna cann-”

 “- _ can  _ your excitement for a moment,” Ignis says, grabbing the belt on his pants and holding him still. “Please, to avoid any moaning and groaning in the next few days, apply a very  _ generous _ amount of sunscreen.”

 But Prompto’s almost down to the beach by the time he responds, fleet-footed when he wants to be. “Can do, Iggy!! C’mon, guys!!”

 “That’s gonna be one hell of a sunburn,” Gladio comments after a long sigh from the advisor.

 Ignis shrugs and then shuts the trunk, handing the spare boxers to both of his other companions respectively. “I suppose I should follow him down and keep an eye on him.”

 Gladio squints, palm shading his eyes from the harsh sun. “Make sure he doesn’t swallow any sand?”

 Ignis cracks a wicked grin. “It’s a danger in the real world, isn’t it?”

 Noctis lets himself out of the car very slowly, reluctant to leave his little refuge in the shade. But rather than worrying he’ll probably melt on the asphalt, he’s determined to know what Gladio plans to do first.

 There’s so many activities around.

 There’s the local surf shop, a seafood buffet, an ice cream shop, a souvenir stand and… Astrals be damned, there’s even a swimsuit competition. Who the hell wants to watch a bunch of unworthy, nude bodies flaunt themselves around in public, Noctis thinks to himself.

 “You two are free to partake in whatever activity you desire,” Ignis says, pressing a button on the car key to electronically lock it. “I’ll be by the beach bar having myself a sea-worthy snack and supervising Prompto if you need me!” He waves and leaves Noctis and Gladio to discover their own fun by the sea.

 He thought once it was just he and Gladio, he’d feel a lot more at ease about discussing the quality of their time spent here. Turns out he’s losing his confidence by the boatload.

 Gladio stretches and breathes in a great deal of fresh ocean air. “Smell that air…” He turns to Noctis as he begins pulling his boots off. “Whatcha gonna do first, Noct?”

 Damn, he spoke first. “Go find the nearest port-a-pot and hide in it,” he mutters, blushing. It’s not just hot, it’s hard to contain his honesty. “I hate the heat.”

 “Aw, c’mon, don’t be like that. Why don’t you come for a swim with me? I’ll teach ya how to doggy-paddle!”

 Noctis catches the glow of the sun creating a halo around his shield, sunlight bouncing off of his thick shoulders. His heart starts pounding as he lets his mind wander close to the sight of Gladio without his shirt on.

 With the proximity of the water not too far off, it wouldn’t be long now until that image became a reality.

 “Nah,” Noctis scratches the back of his head, glancing around for something to talk about to keep his mind distracted. “You go ahead. I’m gonna go get some ice cream…”

 His mouth goes dry as Gladio suddenly bounds off in the direction of the water and salutes him. “Have it your way!”

 Noctis isn’t visibly upset, but if Gladio could just turn around and see what’s happening on the inside, he’d know why the prince was being so contrary.

 

 _____

 

 Noctis sits by his lonesome at the ice cream shop, licking his double scoop of chocolate brownie while his friends are all off having the time of their lives. Deep down, he wants to join them, but the emotion at his surface buoys his joy. He’s drowning in his wallowing.

 His eyes scan the sandy field full of people.

 He spies Prompto crouched over by some rocks, stick in hand as he tries to tease a giant crab out of its home. There’s already a bunch of pretty shells and glittery rocks pouring out of his back pocket. He should leave the poor creature alone now.

 Next, there’s Ignis, serving up the first volley to what must be what, their third game now? Noctis allows somewhat of a smile breach the corners of his mouth as he witnesses his advisor win for his entire team with the first pass. He can hear the shouts of praise from almost a mile away across the beachfront.

 Instead of joining in the fun under the sun, he resigns himself to staring at his ice cream cone as the melty chocolate slithers down and over his fingers. Just as the ice cream is about to drip off his hand, a thought slams into his head.

 Where’s Gladio?

 He hasn’t seen him for nearly an hour now. To be honest - though he’d never tell anyone - he’s a little worried about what sort of activity his boyfriend has decided to take an interest in.

 It’s not that he doesn’t trust his shield, he’d just rather know he’s close enough in case the tide comes in. Or there’s suddenly a meteor falling and aiming right for him. If there’s any danger, he wants to be sure that Gladio’s right in his vicinity to protect him at all costs.

 No. There’s no point in lying to himself. Since they’d only confessed their feelings for each other a mere week before they left home, the trust in their relationship had just begun its voyage. They were testing waters, so to speak. Neither he nor Gladio were very optimistic about how well they’d get along, and now that insecurity was eating Noctis alive.

 He knew how very little Gladio really cared for the emotional aspect of love. That big cuddly bear of a man made the physical aspect of it a stronger statement every day that passed, hoping to spark Noctis’s interest in intimacy well into the evening hours.

 But that’s not to say he didn’t respect Noctis and his wishes to remain steady than diving in head first. But with so much flesh wandering around, it’s no wonder Noctis has had a mind to void Gladio of his eyeballs.

 The prince knew he’d never make the cut in the epic scheme of Gladio’s standards of excellence when it came to body image. He was a shrimp at only 5’9, average for a man his age.  _ Average _ , not spectacular, like so many of these people appeared to be.

 He had a thinner, leaner body than most other men, his muscle tone not as tough as others. He could never possess a vast array of muscular glory worthy of admiration, nor harbor a brain with such a diversity in hobbies and crowning achievements.

 And he was the prince!

 Cramming all his self-inflicted shame to the back of his mind, he tosses his half-eaten ice cream into a disposal close by and sets off in search of his shield. Where, he doesn’t know, but he figures if he wanders aimlessly long enough, he’ll spot him eventually.

 Gladio was versatile like that. Like the wind itself.

 

 _____

 

 His search for Gladio proved inconclusive. After an hour and a half of moping around with the expectation of finding Gladio lying under the benches with some random girl, he’d sulked back to the shore with his head low and heart even lower. 

 With Ignis’s advice, Noctis had changed from his all black attire to some blue jean shorts and a white tank top. It was much too stifling out here for a color of clothing that absorbed sunlight. But what did he care? He currently sat shaded on the sand under a huge umbrella.

 He had absolutely no intention of going out into the sun. Leaning back on his palms, he lazily watches the dozens of beach patrons soak up the day in their own creative ways. This is so boring, he thinks, sighing. Why couldn’t they have just called it a day, eaten some good food, and gone to bed?

 Pretty soon, his quiet loneliness is interrupted by a soaking wet Prompto jogging right up to the edge of the blanket Noctis lounged on.

 Noctis holds an arm up, blocking the salty spray on Prompto from reaching him. “Aughh, Prompto! Don’t get me wet!”

 “Sorry, dude,” Prompto says with less than an honest heart. A big smile plastered on his face, wet hair sticking to his forehead, he leans over with his hands on his knees. “The water’s awesome, Noct! You should come swim!”

 “No thanks,” Noctis mumbles, the crease of his brows an obvious sign that he doesn’t want to be bothered. “Go… torture a crustacean or something.”

 “Hah!” Prompto slaps his knee and sends the droplets in Noctis’s direction anyway. The prince groans loudly. “What can I say? He was hiding a shell I wanted!”

 Noctis backs further away. “Will you leave me alone? Go splash yourself,” he hisses, wiping himself off with the hem of his shirt.

 Prompto cocks his head, his face growing soft. “What’s the matter, buddy? Feelin’ a little under the weather today?”

 Noctis turns away and brings his knees up to his chest, crossing his arms over his knees. “Go away.”

 Ignis comes up then and pats their youngest companion on the shoulder. Noctis curls into himself even tighter at the inclusion of another human. “Is everything alright, you two?”

 Prompto shrugs off his friend’s attitude and pulls Ignis’s arm toward the ocean. “I dunno. C’mon, Iggy! They’re starting the free surfing lessons!!”

 Ignis is more concerned with Noctis’s unusual mood of, well, moodiness as he lets his arm be pulled past the point of aching. “You go on, Prompto. I’ll join you soon..”

 Prompto runs off unattended without another word but rather a shout of pure joy. Ignis watches after him, a hand casually on his hip. “He’s quite enjoying himself.”

 “Hm.” Noctis barely makes a move, or even a noise for that matter. He glances up at his advisor, expecting that he wants to discuss his attitude. This is not the right time nor the best place. “You didn’t have to stay, y’know.”

 Ignis plops down beside him, making sure his hair is still in tip top shape. But he doesn’t say anything yet, trying to prompt Noctis into speaking first.

 Instead of demanding an answer as to why Ignis is here instead of with Prompto, he puts the least amount of effort into simply inquiring, “Have you seen Gladio?”

 “Not since we arrived,” he replies. “Why, have you lost him?”

 “Not yet,” Noctis says, pinching up some sand and sprinkling it on the towel. “He ran off like a maniac after I told him I was getting ice cream.”

 Ignis makes a sound akin to a snorting bull. “And he didn’t say where  _ he  _ was headed?”

 “No. He said something about swimming…”

 Noticing the downward spiral in Noctis’s tone, Ignis pries subtly for more info. “Did he want you to go with him?”

 Noctis nods slightly, but gives him no indication of wanting to continue this conversation. “Can I just…” He stretches his arms out in front. “Can you go, Specs? Please?”

 Spotting someone very familiar off in the distance, Ignis smiles and taps Noctis’s shoulder. “Where ever Gladio went, Noct, he didn’t go very far.”

 Noctis looks in that direction and perks up the moment he sees his boyfriend, shirtless, racing across the sand toward him. His muscles, a fresh sheen of sweat dripping off them, ripple and juggle his flesh as he jogs. On his approach, he slides on his knees right into Noctis and grabs him up in his huge arms, planting a great, big kiss on his cheek as he almost topples over on top of him.

 Ignis takes this as his cue and leaves the two young lovers to each other.

 Gladio overwhelms Noctis with a barrage of kisses all over his face until the prince begins pushing and kicking at him. “Love you, baby.”

 “Wait!” Noctis’s voice is muffled underneath all that muscle. Gladio’s thick legs are on either side of his, leaving their innermost parts to rub up against each other. The bulge pushing into Noctis’s bulge is way too exciting for them to still be in the public eye. He makes a little squeak as Gladio lays himself closer to his body, the heat overwhelming, but just eased into enough to be relaxing. “Gladio,” Noct whines quietly. “People are staring.”

 “So what?” Gladio cradles him beneath his weight, gazing down at his lover so passionately. “This is the beach. Everything is on display even after the sun goes down.”

 Noctis pushes on his boyfriend’s achingly gorgeous chest, wanting to be kissed again, but not quite bold enough to ask. “ _ Sooooo _ , I don’t want them looking at us. It’s embarrassing just to expose my legs…”

 “Awwww.” Gladio grins, brushing away some bangs from Noctis’s face. “You feelin’ self-conscious about your cute, little body?”

 Noctis sucks in his bottom lip, cheeks rosier than a red delicious apple. He blows out a breath of indignation. “I’m not cute.”

 But Gladio thinks otherwise and plans to prove it; his palm caresses Noctis’s soft face before sliding down along his neck, his chest, belly, and then down to his hip, where he tenderly rubs the pad of his thumb close to the edge of his pelvis until Noctis gives an undignified moan. “Anything else you wanna add, beautiful?”

 Noctis shakes his head slowly with the tiniest of smiles, reaching up and gently tugging on Gladio’s hair to pull him in for a kiss. When Gladio’s lips meet his, he forgets all about where they are and why they’re here. Suddenly, they’re all alone in their own little world full of passion and desire for one another. Gladio breaks the kiss sloppily and greets Noctis’s throat with bites of love as the prince lays his head back and adorable sounds fall from his lazy mouth.

 Gladio slips his hands up underneath Noctis’s tank, using his thumbs to massage gentle circles on both nipples. Noctis squirms beneath him with pleasure, reaching around Gladio’s head for a touch of that soft hair along his nape. He hikes his legs up around Gladio’s waist and moans aloud, searching for Gladio’s lips again. Gladio chuckles lowly and obliges his determination, meeting him halfway and diving into his mouth with such ferocious heat that wouldn’t have been subdued otherwise.

 There are a couple passersby, some stopping to watch and coo at the two boys. One person had taken a picture, while others preferred to mind their own business and keep walking.

 But nothing in the world, not even the end of it could distract either man’s attention from the other. They were in their own paradise, and Noctis wanted it to last forever.

 Gladio tasted salty and a touch like smoked, cured, crisp bacon in the early morning. He relished the feel of his shield’s lips on his and let himself go, setting all of his inhibitions free one by one with each moan he let out.

 He’s breathless, literally, and he needs some air. He pulls off of Gladio’s mouth and throws his head back. “Gladio,” he says, panting. “I can’t… breathe.”

 After a few more loving bites along his collarbone, Gladio lifts his head and gazes into Noctis’s beautiful blue eyes. “That’s love, baby. Now, I gotta ask you a question, and you give me a straight answer…”

 “But I gotta ask you something first, you twit,” Noctis says, inching his way free of Gladio’s arms. “Where did you go? I looked all over for you.”

 Gladio gives him an awkward grin as he sits up on his knees. “Oh, that… well, you said you were goin’ off for ice cream, so I thought I’d go off and swim for a bit and then come back and join you. But when I got there, you were gone.”

 “Yeah, cuz I was busy searching for your sorry ass.” Noctis crosses his arms and pouts.

 “Hey, hey,” Gladio coddles him softly, reaching for his hand. “Sorry I left you in my dust. Guess I got a little carried away.”

 His laugh is not enough to relieve Noctis of his worry though. “A little? You were supposed to stay with me. I thought we were gonna do something fun  _ together _ ?”

 “We were!” Gladio protests, getting louder. “I asked you, but you said no!”

 “Yeah,” Noctis sighs, chin in his palm. “You’re right… never mind. It's stupid to argue like this…”

 “So, do you wanna go for a swim? Just you and me?”

 Noctis glances up at him. When he flashes that big, goofy grin, how can Noctis refuse? He pats Gladio’s knee. “Sure, big guy. But you gotta promise to shower with me afterwards.”

 Gladio’s whole face lights up as he stands and scoops Noctis into his arms. “It’s a deal, baby!”


End file.
